Turman charged in domestic dispute

Posted: Thursday, June 12, 2003

By Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina running back Daccus Turman, the 2000 Athens Banner-Herald Northeast Georgia Co-Player of the Year, has been charged with criminal domestic violence after a fight with his girlfriend at an apartment they shared, university police say.

Turman's girlfriend had a cut to her lip and bruises on her neck, while Turman had a bruise on his left middle finger, according to a police report filed after officers were called to the Sumter Street apartment about 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Both Turman, 20, and his girlfriend, who was not identified in the report, talked to the officer, who decided Turman was the aggressor and arrested him.

Turman is scheduled to appear in magistrate's court July 9.

Coach Lou Holtz suspended Turman indefinitely from the team Tuesday and said he is looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

''It's a privilege to be part of the team. It's not a right. And when you violate certain things, you forfeit your privilege of being on it,'' Holtz said Wednesday.

Turman played in all 12 games as a freshman last year, rushing for 179 yards and two touchdowns.

As a senior at Washington-Wilkes in 2000, Turman broke Herschel Walker's Georgia high school single-season rushing record, running for 3,172 yards. He broke the record on his final carry in the Tigers' 14-0 loss to Americus in the Class AA championship game.

Turman's breakthrough game came in a matchup against Commerce, led by Monte Williams, who broke the state's career rushing record later that year. Turman, though, stole the spotlight, rushing for 382 yards and seven touchdowns in Washington-Wilkes' 49-27 win.